Gearbox for bottle cleaning machines



Jan. 22; 1946. G. J. MEYER Y GEAR-BOX FQR BOTTLE CLEANING l.MACHINESFiled Jan. 25, A1943 ,x5 m11/ l. :E2/]

' GEORGE l MEYER` f ATTORNEY IIIIIIIIIIN f Z m i in accordance PatentedJan. 22, 1946 UNITED* .STATE George lJ. Geo. J.y

Bo'rrL CLEANING.

CHINES Meyer, Milwaukee, Wis., y 'Meyer Manufacturing 00;, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application January 23, 11943 semaine. 413,305

assigner v-to Cudahy,

9 claims. (c1. 23a-97.7)

The present inventionrelates Vto bottle cleaning machines and moreparticularly tospindledriving gear-boxes for such machines.

In a usual type of bottle cleaning machine, such as that shown inPatentNo. 1,429,960 to George J. Meyer, dated September 26, 1922, bottles arecarried in a conveyor and while inverted are subjected to variouscleaning operations including an inside brushing operation by means ofhollow brush spindles which conduct washing water into the bottles. Abottle cleaning machine of this general type is also shown in Patent No.1,310,128 to George vJ Meyer, dated July 15, 1919.

An object of the invention is to provide animproved spindle-drivinggear-box which sure adequate lubrication of the parts, which will avoidvcontamination of the spindle-conducted cleaning water bythe lubricantfor the gear-box, which will require only infrequent attention toreplenish lubricant, and which will be eflicient in I operation. K Y

Another obje t of thev invention is to provide a gear-box which is ofrelatively simple construc-V tion and which can be economically manufacrtured.

- A further object is to provide a gear-box in which the rotating partshave a relatively large bearing area in a limited space. Y

The invention further consistsin thegseveral features hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top'view of a gear-box constructed with the invention,`parts being broken away, parts being shown in section, and parts beingomitted;

Fig. 2l is a transverse sectional elevation of the gear-box, takengenerally along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, taken generally along theline 3-3 of Fig. 1; A

Fig. 4 is a transversesectional elevation, taken generally along theline 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a spindle housing member,and i Y u Fig. 6 is abottom view of the spindle housing member, parts being broken away andparts being shown in section. v

In the drawing, VI5 designates the mainframe of a bottle cleaningmachine which may be such as that shown in the above-identied lPatent1,429,960, and I6 designates the rows 'of bottle holders of the Abottleconveyer thereof bythe movement of which the. rows of inverted bottlesIl aresuccessively brought into position to receive various cleaningoperations, as is well un- ,will in-y mechanism i9 here shown tocomprise two trans-Y versely extending rowsof f I9 carriedin upstandingposition on agear-box ing end members and carries a sides of themachine,

' v,The gear-box 20 tangular casing member 24 having opposite vertic topviianges 4| to one end of the casing operations include by fountainbrush derstood in thisvart. These an inside brushing voperation tubularbrush spindles designated generally by 2li. This gear-box, with whichthe present invention is concerned, and which is hereinafter more a4reciprocatory .support or cross-head slidable von vertical guide bars 2I disposed tithe opposite I9 pass 4through the usual tubular guides 22which form bottle-centering clamps, and are provided with brushes 23attheir apertured urpper ends adapted toenter the yinverted bottles. Theconduit-forming brush spindles aresupplied withv water or'other cleaninghereinafter,described.`

includes an elongated recfluid under pressure, as

cal side walls 25 yand Vvertical end walls26 and vfurther havinginturned top land bottom flanges k2l andv 28 respectively. The casingmember of metal plates welded to-v preferably constructed gether, butitk may also be formed yas a casting. Cast metal end members or heads 29and '30 are, rigidly bolted .to the opposite end'walls 26 of the casingmember and carry slide shoes 3| engageable with the side guides 2l ofthe machine. The end members 29 horizontal tubular bearing portions 32the inner endsiof which extend through apertures 33, Figs. 2 ands,formed in the casing member end walls 2li,v each bearing portionKVhaving a surrounding flange 34 which is bolted to the outer rface ofthe respective end wall. A drive shaft 35 is journalled in the aligneddrive pulley 36 at surround one end.V Suitable lubricant seals 31 theshaft at the outer ends of the bearing por-Y tions 32. The gear-box israised and-lowered by the usual lever and link of which are shown.

The top of the casing member 24 is closed by a plurality of spindlehousingmembers 439, two being shown in the present instance. Eachhousing member has a plate-like top wall 40 the opposite side edges ofwhich are bolted or secured to the 21 of the casing member. -An end edgeof one housing member is attached by screws also securing afasteningstrip or plate 42 which is attached by screws -43 to the top wall `ofthe end members 29. The opposite'edge of the housing member has anupwardly oiiset flange 44 fully described, formsY The tubular brushspindles i and 30 are provided with alignedv bearing portions of thecasmechanism 38, only parts member, these screws which overlaps an edgeof the top wall of the other housing member and is secured thereto byscrews 45. The upwardly oiset edge flange 44 of the second housingmember similarly overlaps a flanged portion of the top wall of thecasing end member 30 and is secured thereto by studs 46, these studsV,also securing the end member to the top flange 21 of the casing member:24.

The bottom of the casing member is lclosed by a cover plate 41 whichforms a water manifold or chamber, the opposite side edges of the coverplate being bolted or screwed to the vbottom ilanges 28 of the casingmember. An end edge of Ithe cover plate is attached by screws 48 to oneend of the casing member, thesescrews also securing a fastening plate orstrip 49 which is attached by screws 50 to the bottom Wall of the endmember 29. The other end edge of the bottom cover plate has a downwardlyoffset flange 5| which laps a anged portion of the bottom wall 'of lthe'end 'member 130 and is secured thereto by-screws 52, these V"screwsa'lso securing `the end inember to the bottom "ange 28 ofthe casingmember. The bottom cover plate 41 Vis formed with 'two longitudinallyextending 'water passages 53 which receive Water lfrom a transverseconnecting inlet passage '54, this passage being supplied rv'vithw'aterlfrom a conduit v55.

Each :spindle housing member 39 vis integrally provided witha group'orfour tubular bearing portions `'orrsleeves 5,6 which exte'nver'ticallyabove "and `below the top wal140, vand lis further provided 'withtubularlb'earing portions `51 extending 1in alignment'with therespective `.bearing portions `5li`and spaced downwardly therefrom toadmit vgearing hereinafter described The lower ends vof the 'bearingvportions 156 'lare 'connected by a flat horizontal ring-like web 58,andthe upper ends of the bearing portions 51 are 'connected by `'aV,similar 'web 59, -vthese `Webs being conneot'ed by vertical webs, vand`the upper Web'-58, 1'being connected tothe vhousing wallillby verticalWebs 61|-, 'thus providing a'rigid structure.` The lower ends of Athe'bearing Y=I`Jortions `51"'a`re `formed`with an'ged feet 62 which'aresecured to the bottom cover Iplate 41 by bolts 63. Central waterports 64 are formed in the lower ends "of the bearing portions 51 andlregister `"with ports 'S65 'formed 4fin the .bottomcover plate'andicommiinlcating with the waterpass'ages L5 3. l

'A tubularspindle shaf-t is journal1ed=in`each bearing portion T56 r`andin its lower extension 51, and has :a screw-threaded upper end 61projecting 'above 'the bearing portion 56. A pinion or v'gear 1.68 `ispressed onto the shouldered intermediatelportion of the tubular spindleshaft and occupies the space between the upper and lower bearingVV`portions, the v'gear `resting on the enlarged jilat upper Vendilof'the bearing portion 51. Awaterfpipe extends vcoaxi'a'lly'within thetubular vspindle shaft B6 in spaced relation to the 'inner walls of the'shaft and vhas its lower end screw-threaded at 1l into the bottomp0rtionof the lower bearing "sleeve '51 tooommunicate iwiththe waterport 64.- The upper'end of the pipe 10 extends abovethe yupper end ofthe tubular shaft and is provided with a bushing 1-2. A coupling nut 13hasa skirted lower end 1"4"screwthread`ed onto the lupper end of theshaft 66 and has itsupp'er endformed witha polygonal socket toreceivetherein 'the laterallly flatted bulbous :lower end 16 of thecorresponding brush tube 'or spindle therewith. The bulbous'tubeend 16`is retained in the coupling nut Lby a screw-threadedcap '11,

` composite lgear member,

`I9 to Yformadriving connection there being suitable packing washers 18above and .below the tube end. The brush tube is thus capable of aslight angular displacement with respect to the coupling nut, and isreadily replaced if renewal becomes necessary. A tubular stem or nipple19, formed of Monel metal or other suitable material, is swaged orotherwise rigidly secured in the coupling nut to form a coaxial Waterpassage therein and lhas its lower `end snugly but slidably androtatably fitting in the bushed upper end of the water pipe 10. The piperstands well above the casing member 24 and has suilicient length andresilience to accommodate any small misalignment of the pipe and nipple-15 withoutdanger of binding and with -a of friction.

The pinions or gears 68 of each group of `four spindles-mesh with lasomewhat larger spur gear integrally formed on a composite gear member`8| rotatable on a verticalV axis, the lower portion of the gear --mmberalso have integrally formed thereon a 5bevel gear 82 mesh g 'with abevel gear "83 carried on the `'dr'fiv'e fs'haft '35. Aligned upper 'and"lower vertical ishafts 184 and 85, respectively, are integrallyliorlned on the -ire "gear ie'mber the e being preferably A"formed 'ofthe #same -Jmetai The upper f shaft is vol'l'r'alle'd ih la bearingsleeve 86 integrally formed 'on :the spindle 'housingjmeniber 39 and'extending above below 'the tp "wall 40, the lower end 'of this `fsleveextending below the top plane "of 'the lfspiir"gear"80. {lA-step bearingmember 381 Efor thegear nienrber 181 li's`s'e'c'u`1jed to the bottomcover ipl'at'e"`41, `'as by screws 88, and `has la `Lpair ofupstanc'iiiig coaxi'al lbearing sleeves `8 9 and "90. y The loWer YShaft*85 'of the composite ngear member i'67| lis*joiirnalled.in theinnersleeve'89 of thes'tep bearing member. ?'Ifhe upstanding coaxialIbearingsleeves H89 and y90 jfit in deep annum channels .91 and v92termed "in the lower end portion of the composite gear-ineinber, tthusproviding a :relatively 'large bearing -area in a --limlted'axiallength. The 5litige upper :and lower bearing 4`surfaces of ythecomposite gear serve to minimize Wear. The horizontal drive shaft35isvalso journalledfin the Abearing"-'Ine'mber 81. Thl Iis Oifebein'glmbe'r T87 for eah spindle housing member. 'illl @thebrus'hfspindles preferably nrotate 1in I'the same direction.

The gear-box forms 'therein -a 'lubricant' 'chamber for receivingathinfluidflubricant'whichiwill readily reachallth'er 1bearin'g'surfacesand which will `insure feasy 'running y'of Stlerotati'ng parts.

The lubi'canti's of fa-type whichfwill'notfbedadnaged by water andpreferably consists' of lfa cutting compound mixed 'with Ysoap --and'iwater. This compound 'is conirnonly used l'for `lubi-ication metalcutting operations. If any water should accidentale-naamw-lthe-gearltexgit wm merely dilute the -lii-bricant -f-a'nd 4fc'fuse noharlm, lThe Verden waterfpipes'vufsta vwe'i1-.imma the mbacant levelinlthe-Acasing-meniperlztso lthat'there is no danger of contaminatingthe' cleaning water with the lubricant. An overilow opening B3 isformed'in ion'eof lthe side l walls [of the cafsng member 'and in 'so'meinstances"mayv beiclosedby a detachable plug 54. The tubiilarbearingportions or' sleeves 56,5' l, aiidBG 'arepreferably-providedwith-openings 495* to admit the `lubricant to the bearing surfaces.Thelubricant reaches ythe bearing surfaces above ythe lubricant level bycapillary attraction-and by =the splaslfiing caused byrtne rotationofthegears.` -The'bearing-bushings lf2 -for Athe small V#diameternipples419y are lubricated by the.' water" passing*Y vupwardlythroughthe'pip'es 19;"5 3 'i vvBv 'way otexampla lthel .drawing shows.four brush spindles in 'each row,` but the number fof spindles will varyaccording tothe capacity of thevmachine. In some. instances, as. many astwenty-eight or more'brushispindles may be pro-v vided in each row. Inassembling any given gearbox as'ufcient number of identical spindlehousingmembers (each having four spindles) are mounted on the gear-boxto provide the krequisite number of spindles, thus facilitatingmanufacture.' .As -seen in lFig. 3, the adjacent edges of thehousingmembers are ksecured together in lapping "relation, yIf desired,"twof.oramore-bottom cover. plates ilV may be secured together endwise in asimilar manner for.y gear-boxes of diierent length. l l' l' Inoperation, the rows of inverted bottles Il are successively brought bythe conveyer into registration with the vertical brush spindles I9 inthe usual manner. The gear-box 2E) is then raised on the guides 2l toproject'the hollow brush spindles into the bottles for brushing andwashing the inner surfaces of the bottles, and is then lowered to permitthe succeeding rows of bottles to move into brushing position. Eachbevel gear 83 on the horizontal drive shaft A35 rotates the associatedcomposite gear member 8l which in turn rotates the corresponding groupof hollow spindle shafts t. The cleaning water passes upwardly underpressure through the non-rotatable pipes 7U from the water passages 53in the bottom cover plate, and then through the rotating nipples 19 andbrush tubes, lhnally discharging into the bottles. Y

The construction of the gear-box of the present invention is such as topermit easy but accu'- rate machining of the parts and to facilitateassembly, Although the construction permits the use of a thin fluidlubricant to insure thorough lubrication of the moving parts and toobviate the need for individual lubricant fittings for the bearings,ther`e is no danger of contaminating the water or other cleaning liquidpassing through the brush spindles.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, the combinationof a hollow support forming therein a lubricant chamber adapt- `ed toreceive a uid lubricant, a tubular spindle projecting upwardly from saidsupport and hav-` ing a portion journalled in said support and exposedto the lubricant in said chamber, a pipe secured to said support andextending upwardly within said spindle to e, point above the lubricantlevel in said chamber, said pipe having its upper end portion interttingwith said spindle and communicating with the interior of said spindle,gearing means in said support for rotating said spindle, and means foradmitting liquid to the lower end of said pipe for passage through saidspindle.

2. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, the combinationof a hollow support lforming therein a lubricant chamber adapted toreceive a fluid lubricant, a tubular spindle projecting upwardly fromsaid support and having a portion journalled in said support and exposedto the lubricant in said chamber, a resilient pipe rigidly secured atits lower end to said support and extending upwardly within said spindlein spaced relation to the inner walls of said spindle to a point abovethe lubricant level in. said chamber, saidresilient pipe having,alaterally' 'deectable vupper vend portion intertting with said spindleland communicating 'withthe interior of the spindle, gearing means insaid support for rotating said spindle, and means forA admitting liquidtothe lower end of said pipe ufor' passage vthrough said spindle. Y 3.In a spindle mechanismV for aV bottle vcleaning machine, the combinationof ahollow sup-v port forming thereina'chambe'r adapted to receivea.fluid lubricant,v an` upwardly lprojectinsy hollow yspindle shaftjournalled in saidls'upport and exposed tothe lubricant `in saidchambena pipe secured at its lower end to Vsaid support and extendingupwardly within said shaft to' a point above the lubricant level vinsaid chamber, a spindle tube detachably secured to the uppe'rend of saidshaftand having a part slidablyand4 ro# tatably inter-fitting withthefree upper endv of said pipe, gearing means in said support for rotatingsaid spindle shaft, and means for ad- Vmitting liquid to the lower endof said pipe for passage through said spindle tube.

4. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, the combinationof a hollow support forming therein a chamber adapted to receive a iluidlubricant, an upwardly projecting hollow spindle shaft journalled insaid support and exposed to the lubricant in said chamber, a pipesecured to said support and extending upwardly within said shaft to apoint above the lubricant level in said chamber, a spindle tube securedto the upper end of saidshaft and having a downwardly projecting tubularstem rotatably intertting with the free upper end of said pipe, gearingmeans in said support for rotating said spindle shaft, and rmeans foradmitting liquid to the lower end of said pipe for passage through saidspindle tube.

5. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, the combinationof a casing forming therein a chamber adapted to receive a uidlubricant, said casing having top` and bottom cover members, said topcover member having a bearing portion extending downwardly into saidchamber and ksecured to said bottom cover member, a tubular spindlejournalled in said bearini;Ar

`portion and projecting'upwardly therefrom, a

pipe secured atits lower end to the lower part of said bearing portionand projecting upwardly within said spindle to a point above thelubricant level in said chamber, the free upper' end of said veatingwith the interior of said spindle, gearing means in said casing forrotating said spindle, and means carried by said bottom cover member foradmitting liquid to the lower end of said pipe.

6. 4In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, thecombination of a casing forming therein a chamber adapted to receive auid lubricant, said casing having top and bottom walls, said top wallhaving a bearing portion extending downwardly into said chamber, therebeing a gap at an intermediate point of said bearing portion, a tubularliquid-conducting spindle journalled in said bearing portion andprojecting upwardly therefrom, gearing means in said casing for'rotating said spindle including a gear mounted on said spindle anddisposed in said gap, and means for supplying liquid to said tubularspindle and for excluding lubricant from passage through said spindle.

l7. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, thecombination of a casing formf ingtherein a chamber adapted to :receive afluid lubricant, :said "casing having a top `wall comprising a housing`plate lhaving la plurality 'of laterally spaced spindle bea-rings`formed thereon and projecting into said lubricant chamber', tiibularliquid-conducting spindles journalled lin sa'rd respective bearingportions and projecting upward:- ly therefrom, gearing means in saidcasing for rotating said spindles, and fm-eans for supplying liquidtosaid tubular spindles..

8.1m a spindle mechanism for a bottle Acleaning machine, the combinationof aicasing .forming therein a-chamber adapted to receive a yfluidlubricant, said casing having a top wall com-'- prising a plurality ofhousing -plates each having a plurality of `laterally spaced spindlebearings formed thereon and projecting into ysaid lubricant chamber,said housing plates having adjacent lapping edge portions, tubularliquid-conducting spindles journalled in said respective bearingportions and projecting `upwardlyetherefrom, gearing means in 'said'casing forv rotating said spindles, and means for supplying liquid tosaid tubular spindles.

:9. In 'a spindlemechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, thekcombination of -a casingform ing therein a chamber adapted to receive afluid lubricant, said casing `having top and `hottom cover members,saidtop cover member having a bearing Iportion extending downwardly intosaid chamber, a tubular liquid-conducting spindle journalled in saidbearing portion and vproject ing upwardly therefrom, gearing means insaid casing .'for rotating `said spindle, and means for supplying liquidto said spindle including a conduitl on said bottomcover member.

. GEORGE J.

